Only round figures for Swiss trade have been since the commencement of this year. They enable one, however, to Observe that Swiss industry continues to be very active in spite of the war, as exports have attained the sum of 331 million Swiss francs, during the course of the first three months of 1940, which represents an increase of one million francs lor as compared with the same period last year. Import figures once more Switzerland y it f fi as a buyer of foreign goods (613,5 million Swiss francs for the first three months of 1940).
It is evident that the increase in the import figures is due, to a certain extent, to the rise in the cost of raw materials. The wholesale price index shows an advance of 25 per gent. from the end of March 1939 to the end of March 1940. Combustiples, which Switzerland is obliged 2i to import to almost the full extent of her requirements, have shown the greatest price advance.
Cost of Living The index of the cost of living stood at 1448 at the end of March 1940, which represents an advance of 5.5 per cent. since the beginning of the war. From the month of August 1939, the authorities have taken severe measures to prevent any unjustifiable increase, but it is obvious that a normal rise cannot be prevented consequent upon international events.
The Swiss Samples Fair was held at Basle at the commencement of the month of April. Many people considered it a gamble to hold a Fair of this importance at several hundred metres from the frontier of two belligerent countries, during a period of war. The Fair was successful from every point of view; the number of exhibitors and visitors was encouraging, being scarcely inferior to that of pre-war years. Visitors from foreign countries were also very numerous.
Finance Bist epos 113 Doi
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.